Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-11-18

hal brought her. Why should she com
plain And now she was going to the Old
Ladies Home
"It isn't exactly what I expected in my
youth. She said to the old doctors widow.
NO; but youl have nice room and
bright FIRE and the neighbors will drop in
10 sec YOU and make it homelike Now,
there's old Mrs. Gum. Nothing can per
suade her to 90 to the home She SAYS it's
only gentee almshouse after all and so
she rubs along with what little she can
earn and what the neighbors have a mind
10 send in, and they have TO do it mighty
gingerly, too, just as If they were asking
favor of her Lor', she doesn't earn her
salt"
81 dare say returned Miss Becky.
"Now, if it hadn't been for the rheuma-
tism l could earn my living for years yet,
and maybe get something ahead again, but
it seems as if the rheumatism laid in wait
for the poor and friendless.'
You ought to have married when you
were young, Becky said the doctors wild
ow, who had forgotten all about Beckys
love affair and abored under the impression
that she never had a chance-an impression
which matrons are apt 10 entertain con
cerning their single friends. Miss Becky
had been spending some weeks with Mrs
DR.. Dwight. who had moved away from
Plymouth after her husbands death. She
was there chiefly 10 put some stitches into
the widows wardrobe. which nobody else
would do so reasonably that ladys grief
having incapacitated her for holding a nee
die or giving her mind to material details
Of seam and gusset and band But dur.
ing the visit Miss Becky had been seized
with her sharpest attack of rheumatism,
which had kept her in bed for weeks, till
her wages were exhausted 10y drugs and
doctors fees. 1t was at this time that she
made up her mind TO 90 into the home on
her return to Plymouth.
Mrs. Dwight saw her of at the station.
II hope you will find the home cosy, she
said outside the car window. Its lucky
Parson Amory left you that hundred dol
lars after all He might have doubled it."
Yes | suppose So Miss Becky answer
ed meekly. Perhaps she was thinking that
if she we're Mrs Dwight, no old friend of
hers should 90 begging refuge at an aims
house. Perhaps she was thinking of the
pretty comfortable home waiting for her
friend and wondering why their fortunes
were so unlike.
write when you reach Plymouth, and
let me know how YOU are suited, said Mrs
Dwight and just then the cars gave a
lurch and left her behind, and Miss Becky
turned her glance inwards. Somebody had
taken a seat behind her.
Your friend was speaking of Parson
Amory and Plymouth, he said. II could
not help hearing / was born in Plymouth
myself, but haven't met a soul from there
these 20 years / am on my way to look up
my old friends.
Twenty years is a long time, answered
Becky. Il am afraid you won't find many
of your friends left You'll hardly know
Plymouth
Il suppose not--I suppose not Have
you lived there long
Il have lived there all my days"
Good I'm hungry for news of the peo-
pie. Tell me every thing you can think Of.
Did Parsou Amury leave a fortune He
was called close. Where's Miss Nell, mar
ried or dead | can see the old place in
my minds eye, and the parsonage under
the elms and the orchard behind it where
Lucy Amory planted a young tree on her
wedding day and the gown little Becky
Thorne wore. By the way, is she alive
Do you know her =
Miss Becky hesitated an instant.
Yes" she replied. Il know her-more
or less She's alive"
And married =
well no she never married
She must be 60 odd she was pretty
creature such-I suppose they are wrink-
les now Where have the years gone Is
her home in the old place still p
Her home = said Miss Becky, flushing
little She has none she is ON her way
to the Old Ladies' Home"
ITO the Old Ladies Home Becky
Thorne ~ he gasped And L
"You seem to have known her pretty
well - said Becky, who was beginning to
enjoy the incognito.
Il should think so. I've loVed Becky
Thorne from my cradle we had a silly
quarrel which parted us-such a trifle,
when look back. Do you ever look back,
madam .
The twilight was falling about them;
Becky's face had grown shade or two
paler all at once she turned her dark, vel
vety eyes full upon him with startled air.
You p she said. You must be Larry
Rogers = Then the color swept to her
cheek in crimson wave. DO you know
I never thought you had grown old like
myself Don't you know me l am Becky
Thorne.n
Just then the train thundered through
the tunnel and they forgot they were six
ty odd"
"On the way TO the Old Ladies Home
she wrote Mrs. Dwight, Il was persuaded
to go to an old gentleman's instead ~
-Suriugfph TuiOu